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Dementia Support Worker - 35 Hours

Contract:Permanent

Hours:35 per week

Salary:£20,631

(Based at Walsall Manor Hospital)

Pathways for Life is a service being delivered by GreenSquareAccord. The overall aim of the work is to raise awareness both in the community and amongst hospital staff of dementia and the effects it can have on the individual and their families and carers. The scheme has been running since April 2012.

The Dementia Support Worker Posts based within the Manor Hospital provide a key point of contact for professionals, patients and their families and carers.

We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic candidate to join the existing team, who has a flexible work ethic and will continue to develop the excellent reputation the scheme has within the hospital and wider community.

The post requires:

• A good knowledge and understanding of the needs of people with dementia and their carers
• Good organising and time-management skills
• A clear understanding of the different types of dementia and the effects this can have on the individual and their family and friends
• The ability to liaise effectively with internal departments and external agencies at all levels.
• The ability to work in a highly pressured environment, remaining calm and professional at all times.
• The ability to work as part of a team that is hosted within an external organisation.
• The ability to adapt to change

The posts will work alongside existing services in the dementia pathway to support people from diagnosis until they are signposted to other forms of support. The role is to assist people with the more practical aspects of adjusting to a long-term but life-limiting condition to enable people to prepare themselves for what the future will bring.

Every support worker will work to person-centred principles, recognising that each service user is different and support an individualised and person-centred approach.

The support workers must work to the principle that service provision is \"needs-led\" and not \"provider-led\", focusing on the person with dementia, their carer and family`s individual overall needs, requirements and preferences.

Key Duties:

• Provide information to service users, carers and other colleagues to improve knowledge of dementia
• Offer information agreed with clinicians from memory assessment services which should include that suggested in NICE guidance
• Encourage the use of \"This is Me\" or equivalent and life story work
• Encourage use of memory aids and assistive technology to reduce risk and promote independence
• Encourage to maximise social capital
• Encourage and support to apply for benefits such as Attendance Allowance
• Emphasise the importance of good nutrition, hydration and exercise
• Encourage people to visit their GP where long term conditions are not being managed effectively
• Encourage people to plan for the future whilst they still have capacity e.g. wills, advanced decisions etc.

Essential Qualities

• A minimum of two years experience of working with people with dementia

• QCF (or equivalent) level 2 in Care and willingness to work towards Level 3
• Developed IT skills and ability to use standard and bespoke office IT software packages
• Understanding of Adult Safeguarding Issues
• Understanding and commitment of working with a person-centred approach
• Ability to manage own workload, and complete tasks to a high standard within set timescales
• Flexible working attitude
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently